"The Battle at Lake Changjin" becomes new highest-grossing film in China

BEIJING, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- As of Thursday morning, the total box office of the Chinese war epic "The Battle at Lake Changjin" has reached a whopping 5.695 billion yuan (about 890 million U.S. dollars), according to official data.

Surpassing the box office revenue generated by China's 2017 action blockbuster "Wolf Warrior 2," the domestic war epic film has become China's new all-time box office dominator.

Hitting the theaters just before the 2021 National Day holiday, "The Battle at Lake Changjin" broke more than 30 box office records. On Oct. 3 alone, the film pocketed over 472 million yuan, setting a new daily sales record at China's National Day holiday box office.

Set in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953), the movie tells the story of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers fighting bravely in freezing temperatures in a key campaign at Lake Changjin, or Chosin Reservoir.

The sense of patriotism the film conveys strikes a chord with audiences. "After watching the film, I'm more grateful for the happy life we have today, which didn't come easy," said a viewer from northeast China's Jilin Province.

After a splendid run in China, it opened in a limited theatrical release in North America on Nov. 19.

According to the China Movie Data Information Network, currently, the top six positions of all-time top-earners at China's box office are all occupied by domestic titles. Apart from the war epic film and "Wolf Warrior 2," it also includes well-received comedy "Hi Mom," "Ne Zha," the highest-grossing animated film in China, and sci-fi blockbuster "The Wandering Earth."